Personal income tax

Wisconsin reduced both its tax rates and the number of income tax brackets beginning with the 2013 tax year.

For single taxpayers, they are:

-- 4.4 percent on the first $10,910 of taxable income.

-- 5.84 percent on taxable income between $10,911 and $21,820.

-- 6.27 percent on taxable income between $21,821 and $240,190.

-- 7.65 percent on taxable income of $240,191 and above.

For married taxpayers filing joint returns, taxes are assessed at:

-- 4.4 percent on the first $14,540 of taxable income.

-- 5.84 percent on taxable income between $14,541 and $29,090.

-- 6.27 percent on taxable income between $29,091 and $320,250.

-- 7.65 percent on taxable income of $320,251 and above.

-- 7.75 percent on taxable income of $310,211 and above.

Wisconsin's tax returns are due April 15 or the next business day if that date falls on a weekend or holiday.

Wisconsin offers an earned income tax credit to its residents. This credit provides direct benefit to working families with qualifying children. The benefit amount depends on the total household income and the number of children. To claim this credit, taxpayers need to file an income tax return using the Wisconsin Form 1 or 1A.

Sales taxes

Wisconsin has a sales tax of 5 percent.

Sixty-one counties have an additional sales tax of 0.5 percent. Retailers who make sales subject to applicable county taxes must collect 5.5 percent sales tax on their retail sales.

Sales of motor vehicles, boats, recreational vehicles and aircrafts are subject to the county use tax of 0.5 percent rather than county sales tax based on the county in which the item is customarily kept.

Personal and real property taxes

The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles, but does levy an annual registration fee.

The Division of State and Local Finance, or SLF, is responsible for establishing the state's equalized values; assessing all manufacturing and telecommunication company property for property tax purposes; assessing and collecting taxes on utilities, railroads, airlines, mining and other special properties; and providing financial management and technical assistance to municipal and county governments. It also administers the state shared revenue, property tax relief payments for municipal services and the lottery credit program, the tax incremental financing programs, along with providing property assessment administration and certification of assessment personnel.

Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agriculture uses, rather than for its possible development value.

Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities. You can find your county's or municipality's equalized value on the Department of Revenue's website.

Other Wisconsin tax facts

Wisconsin's income tax was enacted in 1911 and state officials say it is the oldest successful income tax law in the nation, preceding the federal tax system by two years. Its original purpose was to tax the value of intangibles, such as stocks, bonds and money, which escaped property taxation because of assessment difficulties. Intangible property was exempted from the property tax when the income tax was created.

For more information, contact the Wisconsin Department of Revenue at (608) 266-2772 or visit its website.

To download tax forms on this site, you will need to install a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here for instructions.

Veteran contributing editor Kay Bell writes Bankrate's tax stories from her Austin, Texas, home. She also writes two tax blogs, Bankrate's Taxes Blog and Don't Mess With Taxes. She is the author of the book "The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes," and a co-author of the book "Future Millionaires' Guidebook."

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